Interludes
by WinterDance
Summary: This will be an ongoing series set in the Unseen verse. Some parts will be adult in nature hence the M rating. The parts that are will be marked with a warning at the beginning. All oneshots, mostly Jack and Ianto.
1. Chapter 1

**This is the first part of what will be an ingoing series of oneshots set in the Unseen verse. It might be conversations, it might be moments not covered in the stories, it might be an excuse for some smut. This one is (kind of) Jack and Ianto's first serious step forward in their relationship. It does contain sexual stuff, so be warned. And no, don't own them yet but I am plotting a dual kidnapping and my demands for release will include lots of naked interaction between the boys.**

Jack had come to the conclusion that the entire universe was plotting against him every getting to see Ianto Jones naked. Several times after the cannibals things had gotten to the point of clothing being loosened and in some cases pieces had been removed but the Rift would interrupt, or there would be some sort of emergency phone call about Weevils and somehow the clothes would go back on and the moment would be lost and by the time everything was said and done either Ianto was so tired he fell asleep before Jack got to do more than kiss him or the entire team was there and Ianto simply would not allow Jack to drag him off to either his bunker or the room Ianto was staying in with the rest so close. Now Ianto had been released from medical care and had moved back home and Jack was sure, in fact he was positive, that he was no closer to getting to explore every part of that pale Welsh flesh with his tongue than he had been the first night they met.

And then the gods, goddesses and whatever other divine being you could name smiled upon him and Tosh's prediction program said it would be quiet for the next twenty-eight hours. With a warning to keep their phones close and on at all times just in case Jack sent Tosh home with just enough bits and pieces of harmless tech for her not to complain, told Gwen to go home and spend time with Rhys (which made her blush and stammer and when her eyes shot toward Owen Jack sighed but kept his opinions to himself) and barely got three words out to Owen before the doctor had his coat in hand and was trotting for the door. Now, with everyone gone, he straightened his braces and started for the archives to corner a certain Welshman and start the process of doing every wicked thing he could think of (and there was a very, very long list) to that tall, lithe body.

His plans were ripped into tiny little pieces when he heard Ianto speaking to someone on the phone. He had just reached the room where Ianto had his office and was gearing up for the pounce when he heard the soft laugh from the archivist. Torn between curiosity and jealousy, Jack paused to listen, ignoring that small nagging voice that must be his conscience.

"We seem to have been given some time off so I wondered if you would like to come out for supper?' Ianto laughed again, leaning back in his chair, completely unaware of Jack peering round the door frame. "Right, of course, spending time with a beautiful, intelligent woman, why would I ever want to do that?" Another pause, and Ianto reached for the mouse, bringing the computer screen back to life. "No, of course not! You don't have to cook, I'm perfectly willing to take you...if you insist then, I'd love to come over for a home cooked meal." He laughed again and began shutting the computer down. "No, whatever you'd like to cook will be fine. Should I bring wine or dessert?" He pushed back the chair and stood, still unaware of Jack's presence. "Sounds perfect. I'll see you in about an hour then? I look forward to it."

As Ianto hung up the phone Jack hurried away, reaching the main area of the Hub and running up the steps to his office to grab his coat. After everything, after all the flirting and the insisting that Jack was what he wanted the first night they had free Ianto was going on a date with a woman, a woman he apparently knew quite well. It couldn't have been Rhiannon because the tone of Ianto's voice was all wrong so obviously it was someone he was interested in which made Jack not only jealous but angry enough to spit nails. Coat in hand, he decided to leave and find someone to spend his time with since once more he had been betrayed by Ianto Jones.

Ianto entered the main area just as the lift reached the top and he sighed, wondering where Jack had gone. He checked both his desk and Jack's to see if he had left a note but found nothing and a quick glance at Tosh's computer showed no activity from the Rift. Pulling out his mobile he tried phoning him but the call went unanswered. Confused - and somewhat concerned - Ianto left a voice mail explaining that he was going to dinner and if Jack was interested he was welcome to come along or he would meet him at his home later on. Shaking his head and wishing he knew where Jack had gone, Ianto pulled on his coat and after putting the Hub into night mode he left to find a bottle of wine and the perfect dessert to take with him to Estelle's.

-TW-

Jack found himself outside one of Cardiff's many clubs, the music coming from within almost calling to him. It would be nothing to walk inside and find a willing partner - either male or female or even possibly a couple looking for a third - but something was stopping him. He sighed and turned to go back to the SUV, wishing he could feel a little less emotional about the whole thing with Ianto but the man had gotten well under his skin and until Jack figured out how to remove him apparently finding someone else was going to be an issue. Well, he could take care of it once and for all, all he had to do was track Ianto and confront him and his new(old) girlfriend and then he could do what and who he wanted. He was Captain Jack Harkness after all, there was never a shortage of hot and willing bodies ready to service him! Flipping open his wrist strap he pressed some buttons, waiting for the unit to tell him just where the members of his team were. Tosh was at home, no doubt playing with the tech he had given her. He sighed when he saw Owen was also at home but Gwen's signal was there as well and that did not make him happy at all. Finally, there was Ianto and he was...

Jack frowned.

He knew that address.

He groaned aloud, feeling like the biggest idiot on the planet. With a swirl of his coat he turned and ran toward the SUV, planning on going there and surprising not only Ianto but Estelle. Once in the vehicle he noticed his phone had at some point fallen from his pocket and lay on the floor of the passenger seat. He leaned over and picked it up, seeing he had one voice mail and when he checked the missed calls he cringed to see it was from Ianto. After listening to the message he felt even more like an idiot and he wondered if he should simply go back to the Hub and wait or should he go and join them for dinner. Ianto had invited him and he was sure he wouldn't have done so without asking Estelle and to be honest the thought of spending the evening with the two of them sounded very appealing. So, still mentally kicking himself for being a jealous fool, Jack started the SUV and pulled out of the parking space, a smile on his face when he thought of the pleasant evening to come.

-TW-

"Jack couldn't come?" Estelle handed the last serving dish to Ianto who carried it to the table.

"I'm not sure what happened. Right after I spoke with you I went to ask him if he wanted to come and he had left the Hub. I phoned him but it went right to voice mail." Ianto pulled out Estelle's chair for her, waiting until she had seated herself before gently pushing her closer to the table. "I couldn't see a reason for him to leave and normally he doesn't go off without telling someone. I was hoping he'd phone me back but I've heard nothing." He went and took his own seat, unfolding his napkin and placing it on his lap.

"Well, we both know he certainly likes his secrets." The twinkle in Estelle's eyes made Ianto laugh. "How are things between you?"

"Good." Ianto carefully carved the roasted chicken, offering Estelle the first few slices. "After that disaster out in the Beacons, I stayed at the Hub and we had the chance to spend a good deal of time together." He placed several pieces on his plate before setting the knife and fork on the edge of the platter. "It's hard sometimes because my feelings for him started even before Lisa was completely gone from my life. Sometimes I feel guilty because I do care about him so much and part of me..." he sighed and took the potatoes from her, adding a spoonful next to his serving of chicken. "I'm afraid I'm going to get myself in too deep, Estelle. It would be so easy to love him, to let myself feel that much for him and I just don't think it's the smartest thing to do. He has secrets, he has things he will need to do that involve him leaving. And if I let myself give in to him and to these feelings when he goes it's going to break my heart."

"I understand that only too well, Ianto." Estelle took the bowl of potatoes and set it aside before handing him the vegetables. "I don't claim to understand it all and I won't force him to tell me but he must think that I'm so old I've forgotten how wonderful he smells." She giggled, her cheeks flushing pink. "I probably told you more in that sentence than you really wanted to know."

"He does smell good," Ianto admitted, his ears as pink as her cheeks. "He told me the first..."

He was interrupted by a firm knocking on the front door. Estelle raised her eyebrows and smiled at him. "I can be fairly certain that the subject of our conversation is the one making that infernal racket on my door."

"I would have to agree." Ianto picked up his napkin and blotted his lips. "I'll get that, you sit still and eat."

"You get that while I get another plate," Estelle told him, rising and heading toward the kitchen. "It will give you a chance to tell him a proper hello."

Ianto decided that anything he said was not going to help matters so he instead hurried to the door and opened it, cocking his head and arching a brow when Jack, in his enthusiasm, nearly knocked on his chest. "Excuse me sir, it is actually common practice to stop knocking once a door has been opened. There is also the usual act of waiting a few moments between banging your fist on the wood for someone to make their way to the door."

"I'm impatient," Jack said, grinning, "and you know it. So, am I still invited?"

"Of course." Ianto stepped back to allow him inside. "Estelle is getting a place setting for you." He watched as Jack set the bag he was carrying down and then shrugged off his coat, draping it one the coat rack beside Ianto's. "I looked for you before I left the Hub but I saw you leaving on the lift. Is everything all right?"

Jack touched Ianto's cheek, his fingers lightly pressing the soft skin. "Can we talk about it later? I..." Jack sighed and moved closer. "I nearly did something really stupid tonight and I did it for reasons I'm terrified of."

Ianto slipped his arms around Jack's waist, running his hands up to cup his shoulder blades and pull him closer. "Of course. Let's just have a good meal with a very lovely woman and then we'll go back to mine and talk."

Jack moved his hand to cup the back of Ianto's head. "Sounds perfect." He kissed him then, a light brush of lips, his other arm curling round Ianto's waist and tugging him against his body. "Perfect," he whispered and then he kissed Ianto again, this time a deep kiss with tongue and teeth and all the pent up emotion that was seemingly being dragged up from the depths of his soul.

Ianto had to remind himself they were in Estelle's home and she was a scarce room away and force himself to draw back, his breathing deep and his eyes heavy with emotion and need. "Food," he managed, grumbling and swatting Jack's arse when the older man leered and tried to bite him. "Not me. Come on." he stepped away and took Jack's hand to lead him to the table where Estelle was waiting.

-TW-

Several hours later full of excellent food, several glasses of an absolutely brilliant wine and lots of laughter and relaxation that comes from spending time with good company, Ianto climbed into the SUV, leaning out the window to wave to Estelle who was standing in the open door with Moses in her arms. Jack got into the driver's seat and shut the door, waiting until Ianto had settled in his seat before starting the engine and pulling away from the house. "Hub?" he asked.

"No. Mine." Ianto reached over and took Jack's hand, twining their fingers together. "Jack?"

"Hmm?"

"Stay with me?"

Jack would never admit to anyone that he nearly drove right up a tree. "Are you sure?"

"Very." Ianto brought Jack's hand to his mouth and lightly traced the back of it with his tongue, stopping to lightly suck on each knuckle before dragging the tip of his tongue down Jack's thumb and lightly biting the pad. "I'm not sure if I'm ready to actually..." He blushed and in a movement that was so the opposite of the shy look on his face he sucked Jack's thumb into his mouth, swirling his tongue round it and moving his lips slowly up and down the length.

"Whatever you're ready for," Jack growled, "and if you don't stop that we're not going to make it back to yours because I'm going to pull over and drag you into the back and do all the things I've been wanting to do since I felt you underneath me in that warehouse, Mister Jones."

Ianto released Jack's thumb with a lewd popping sound and smiled. "I made a list," he purred.

Speechless - and so turned on that he was seriously concerned about coming in his pants - Jack pressed the accelerator a little harder. He forced himself to concentrate on the road and not on the slow movements of Ianto's fingers against his, the soft sounds of the other man's breathing or the scent of his cologne. He knew as his arousal increased his own pheromones would get stronger and while he had no argument normally with the effect they had he wanted Ianto to be fully aware of his choices and make the decisions for what lay ahead on his own without the outside influence of his 51st century biology. He tugged their joined hands closer and when the light turned red he stopped to wait, using the time to bring Ianto's hand to his lips and kissing his knuckles. "Only what you want and what you're ready for," he promised.

"I trust you."

Those words more than anything else had Jack forcing himself to think of mutilated Weevil corpses and a few dead puppies to keep from tossing it all out the window and leaping on Ianto right then and there.

-TW-

As soon as they were both out of the SUV and in the gate they were kissing. They kissed the whole way up the walk, through the fumbling for Ianto's keys - and yes, Jack did use the opportunity to shove his hand into Ianto's pockets and cop an excellent feel of his cock - tripping through the door with their lips still somehow together and through the room to the hall and only then did Ianto shove Jack away and take several deep, steadying breaths. "Right. You, kitchen. Bottles of water, several of them. Also find the large container marked with your name. Then, you bring everything to the bedroom but stop outside the door and count to one hundred. Slowly. Got it?"

Jack was going to whine a bit but seeing the lust blown eyes and the flushed face he decided whatever Ianto had planned it would be wroth it. "Water. Container. One hundred." he suddenly grabbed Ianto and yanked him close. "One more kiss first." With Ianto not objecting, Jack crashed their mouths together and slipped his tongue past Ianto's lips, groaning aloud when it met the slide of Ianto's and the twined, twisting play began again. He slid his hands round Ianto's waist and down to cup his arse, using the placement of his hands to force Ianto's body closer, letting him feel the hard bar of Ianto's cock against his own. He thrust against him; even through their clothing feeling the heat but Ianto only allowed it for a few moments before once more shoving Jack away. He didn't say anything, looking at Jack with kiss swollen lips and pointing a shaking finger at the kitchen. Jack flashed him a lecherous grin and snapped a salute, laughing when Ianto rolled his eyes and gave him another push in the right direction before ducking down the hall that lead to his bedroom. Wanting to minimize their time apart as much as he could, Jack practically sprinted for the refrigerator and the water and whatever else he was supposed to get, wanting to start counting as fast as he could.

So he might have skipped a number or three. So he might have counted a bit faster than he had been told. So he might have had his ear pressed to the closed door trying to figure out what was going on from the sounds alone. He held two bottles of water in one hand and in the other the handle of a plastic container that held something - since it wasn't as through he had no idea what it was but it had more weight to it than the bottles of water so his imagination was having a bit of fun trying to guess what was in it. Finally, he hit ninety and then for some reason his mouth dried up and his tongue seemed wooden and he felt a rather chilly bead or twenty of sweat roll down his back.

Then it was time.

One hundred.

Ninety nine plus one.

Behind the door was one Jones, Ianto Jones. Waiting for him. Ready to...

It was then jack realized that he didn't have enough hands to open the door. It took him another good thirty count to come to terms with the fact he had to set the container down, open the door and then pick the container up again in order to make his entrance. So he did. He pushed open the door with his foot and stepped inside.

Breathing was overrated. The fact that he almost fell backwards - and since the door was still open and there was nothing there he would have either stumbled back into the wall opposite or landed flat on his arse and either one would have not done much for his image as Captain Jack Harkness, galactic playboy and sexual wonder but luckily his knees locked and he just swayed a bit.

He may have drooled as well.

The room was dimly lit by two wall sconces on either side of the bed. The bed itself was huge, made of a polished cherry wood and built in the tradition of an old four poster complete with rail along the sides and bed curtains tied back at the head. It was covered in a turned down deep burgundy duvet, and on that duvet dressed only in a well placed fold of the thick cloth was Ianto Jones. He was smiling but Jack could see how nervous he was and he convinced his legs to move, striding as fast as he could to the side of the bed and setting the water bottles down, letting Ianto take the container as he sat up, letting the edge of the duvet slide even further down to allow jack to see he was indeed naked underneath.

"You took so long I thought you had changed your mind." Ianto opened the container and removed a covered dish, dropping the now empty carrier off the side of the bed and setting the dish beside him. He looked shyly up at Jack. "Are you going to join me?"

Jack nodded and while he wanted nothing more than to rip off his clothes and pounce he thought that this was an opportunity to give Ianto the to get used to his body before it was doing an entire list of wicked things Jack had planned. He slipped off his braces and then quickly unbuttoned and removed his shirt, the white undershirt pulled over his head and both placed on a hair near the bed. He kept his eyes on Ianto as he bent and unlaced his boots, realizing that Ianto hadn't demanded he take them off as soon as he came in as was the usual. He slipped them off, socks going next, and once that was all set aside he reached for his belt, only to have Ianto's hands there first.

"I appreciate what you're doing but you are taking entirely too long." Long, slender fingers undid his belt, the button on his trousers next and then the sound of the zip being lowered. Ianto's fingers brushed the solid thickness of Jack's aroused cock and with a moan he brought his hands up to stroke Ianto's face, slipping down to his shoulders and lifting him to his knees to pull him close enough to find his lips for a kiss. Slow, deep and sensual, tongues stroking and licking as Jack felt the cooler air of the room on his overheated flesh as the trousers dropped and he was glad he had forgone wearing pants that day for now nothing was in the way and when Ianto's hand cupped his balls and lightly squeezed he hissed into his mouth, his hands sliding down to find the firm globes of that magnificent arse and knead, Ianto's other hand wrapping round the shaft and tugging until Jack found himself on the bed and the kiss finally ended with them both panting for air. Their eyes locked and something happened. Neither of them tried to make it so, neither could say who reached first but it was almost as if two pieces snapped together and the dish - which had contained a whipped chocolate and coffee sauce that Ianto had planned on spreading over the both of them and using the removal to allow them to thoroughly learn each one another's bodies ended up hitting the floor and spilling over the thick rug next to the bed and they writhed and rubbed and explored the lines and planes of muscle. Cocks hard, rubbing together and trapped between, frenzied thrusts and twisting until Jack found himself on top of Ianto, lying between his legs with said long, lean legs wrapped round his waist as he ground himself against the squirming, moaning body that arched into him, kisses that were becoming frantic, mouths parting only to find flesh to bite and to suck, hands pinching and pulling until Ianto's back arched and he let out a sound that ripped Jack's own orgasm from within him, the heat of their come spilling between them, making slick skin slip and slide and finally they collapsed into one another, panting heavily.

Trembling fingers pushed through Ianto's hair and he forced his eyes open, the lids heavy with the intensity of what had happened and the pure decadence of complete satisfaction. He smiled, stroking a finger along Jack's jaw, his legs still locked round Jack's waist to keep him close. "Wow," he breathed, "and that wasn't even in the top five on my list."

"You have broken me, Mister Jones," Jack said, laughing quietly when Ianto smirked. "I had all these plans and I forgot everything. You are a terrible influence on me."

"You had plans? I was going to pour sauce all over you and lick it off." Ianto craned his neck and looked round. "Oh no, please tell me that did not spill in the bed."

"Nope, I'm pretty sure it hit the floor." Jack lightly slapped Ianto's thigh. "Unless you want to be glued together you had best let me up. I'll get a cloth and..."

"Nope."

"Nope?" jack arched an eyebrow.

"Nope." Ianto did release his legs and rolled them until Jack was flat on his back. "I see no sense in getting clean when I plan to make you dirty again."

"I like the way you think, Mister Jones."

"I'm glad to hear that, Caption Harkness."

Jack's ability for coherent thought was lost once again as Ianto kissed him, moving to straddle his hips as his tongue swept through Jack's mouth. Whatever Ianto had planned was more than fine, and as Ianto's mouth left his and began a slow, meandering path down his neck and onto his chest, Jack decided that if this was the alternative he never wanted to be clean again. Ianto's lips were soft, his tongue wet and eager, and every once in a while a sharp nip would bring forth a stuttered breath or a groan. Jack's chest was thoroughly explored; Ianto a little surprised by how smooth and bare it was and even more the slight golden tint to the skin but it tasted wonderful - it was almost as if the pheromones were finding a way to flavor Jack's body and it made him hungry to find out just how the rest might taste. He found a nipple and swirled his tongue round the peak, smiling when Jack's hips arched and he let out a wanton moan. Sucking, a slight bite with a tug and he moved across to the other, laving it with attention and he slid his body lower, his cock hard again and sliding along the rigid bar of Jack's bringing forth his own hiss of pleasure.

Down, dipping his tongue into Jacks belly button and laughing when he squirmed and yipped. A long slow path with his tongue over the left hip and then and quick series of licks and nibbles to the right, still marveling at how smooth Jack's skin was, how only a very fine trail of hair led down towards his groin. Another shift, now straddling Jack's calves and Ianto yelped when Jack managed to trap his cock between his legs. Ianto glanced up at him to find Jack's eyes cast downward, an arm tucked beneath his head to raise him up in order to watch the careful progress Ianto made. "Nothing you aren't comfortable with, Yan," Jack said softly, his free hand reaching to cup Ianto's cheek, his thumb rubbing gently over the line of his cheekbone. Ianto nodded, not trusting his voice at that moment and still keeping his eyes locked with Jack's he used the very tip of his tongue to trace the fine line of hair, turning his head just enough that Jack's cockhead rubbed up the side of his face until his tongue reached the base and after taking a deep breath and hoping he did this right he licked a long, slow path up the shaft, loving the way Jack's body shuddered and the groan of his name from Jack's lips.

Licking, sucking the weeping head and taking it deeper into his mouth, his lips tight, savoring the flavor and the weight and the heat of the turgid flesh, the caress of Jack's hands in his hair and the scattered words and sounds of pleasure that fell from Jack's mouth. Ianto took it as deep as he could but it wasn't all, at least half of the thick shaft remained outside of his mouth but despite the slight undulations of Jack's hips he didn't force it deeper, he accepted what Ianto could do and Ianto was grateful. He showed his gratitude in a renewed assault and this time when he lowered his head with a long suck he found his lips further down, his throat not reacting as badly to the press of the head and he brought his hand up to stroke and squeeze Jack's balls, rolling them on his palm as his head bobbed faster, Jack's cries and pants of his name getting louder and the taste getting stronger as precome leaked for the tip and it burst on his tongue. Ianto's hips were thrusting, pushing his cock back and forth through the clasp of Jack's legs until suddenly the valley was gone and before he could whimper a complaint he was lifted, Jack's cock leaving his mouth with a loud pop and he glared at the other man as he was dragged up his chest to face him.

"Excuse me," Ianto rasped, eyeing him rather unhappily, "I was busy there."

"I know, and you were going to make me come," Jack said softly, his hands running though Ianto's hair, nails lightly scratching his scalp.

"Isn't that the point? It's always been my point." Ianto dropped his head to kiss Jack, dipping his tongue into the heat of his mouth and flicking Jack's tongue, encouraging it into another playful wrestling match that had them both pushing their groins against one another before Ianto was forced to pull back to breathe.

"It is, but I wasn't sure you were ready for that. Sometimes it's easy to get carried away and suddenly you're caught with a mouthful of come and not really happy about it. I want everything to be perfect for you." Jack wrapped his arms around Ianto and rolled them until he was on top. "Besides," he said, grinning, "it's my turn."

And...as was the story of their lives, at that precise moment both phones sounded the tone that signalled a Rift alert and by the time they had found what Jack insisted was a Tyraxian dildo from the 29th century they were so tired they simply went back to the Hub and after a quick shower - which did involved lots of groping and perhaps a shared wank session that left Ianto boneless and nearly asleep before he even left the bathroom - they fell onto the bed and slept, woken only when they heard the alarms go off when Tosh arrived the next morning. Any ideas of picking up where they left off were then were halted in their tracks by a phone call from PC Andy Davidson about some odd things discovered at a construction site and after they called in the others and finished retrieving a skeleton and what Jack referred to as a large stapler there was no time left to continue. Standing in his office when Ianto brought him a coffee, Jack caught his hand and drew him into his embrace. "We will finish what we started, Mister Jones."

Ianto leaned into him. "Promise, Captain Harkness?"

"Promise."

"Good." And then Jack's mouth was against his and Ianto let himself fall.


	2. Conversations and Confrontation

**Takes place between Close Encounters and Cracking Heads (my version of They Keep Killing...). The times frames mentioned are from the end of CE. Don't own, wish I did.**

**Conversations and Confrontation**

_**Jack and Gwen**__**- two days after**_

"Jack?"

He looked up from his paperwork and bit back a sigh. "Yes, Gwen?"

"Could I talk to you?" She didn't wait for him to answer, instead coming into his office and shutting the door behind her. She took the seat in front of his desk and moved it closer, allowing her to rest her folded arms on his desk once she had settled in the seat. In doing this, her arm nudged the piece of coral that sat under the constant light of the lamp and Jack winced. Seeing that, Gwen shifted slightly to avoid any more contact with whatever that thing was that always sat there and he seemed so protective over.

"Gwen, I know you have work to do and I know I certainly have work to do so let's get this out of the way so we can both get back to it. What did you want to discuss?"

"First of all, I would like to say that while I understand Tosh has feelings for Owen, her attitude toward me has been horrible! It's not my fault that Owen doesn't think she's good enough!" Gwen crossed her arms under her breasts, pushing them upwards so even more of her cleavage was on display. "What I do, and the people I chose to do it with, is not her business. It isn't Ianto's either, and honestly I can't see where it is any of yours, Jack! Owen and I have been completely professional and..."

"So the CCTV footage Ianto deleted of you and Owen having sex on the table in the autopsy bay while Tosh, Ianto and I were out is keeping it out of here? You on your knees sucking his..."

"How dare you! And how dare Ianto! That is _none_ of your business!" Her cheeks were bright red with anger and embarrassment.

"Gwen, this is your workplace. I am your boss. Ianto only told me because he was so angry that it normally would have been Tosh who found that as it is part of her job to randomly screen the CCTV recordings. And again, before you make any comment about Ianto and me, keep in mind that while we work here I actually live here and so what we do in my home when only the two of us are here is none of your concern_." And what we do when you are here you don't need to know about_. "However, on that subject as well, we need to have a talk about what Mary heard in your mind."

Gwen squirmed in her seat. "She took it out of context!"

Jack slammed his pen down. "Do you think I'm stupid? Do you think I don't have any idea of how you honestly feel about Ianto? Or me? Gwen, despite the fact I am a flirt, and keep in mind I flirt with pretty much everyone, and I have a reputation of sleeping with anyone I fancy..." He stopped and shrugged. "There is some truth to that. However, I am also perfectly capable of being committed to a single person. I have strong feelings for Ianto, and have had those feelings since the first night I met him. Officially met him. The encounter at One I don't really recall most likely because I was so furious with Hartman that I couldn't see anything else. And believe me, despite the fact that I don't remember I regret the way I treated him. Was I angry at him about keeping that parody of Lisa in the basement? Of course. But even more than angry I was hurt, Gwen. I was hurt because I liked him, I cared about him, and I thought he didn't really give a damn about me." He braced an elbow on his desk and pointed his finger at her. "As for Tosh? Keep in mind she has been here the longest and as such is your superior here. Owen's too. Ianto has been with Torchwood longer than any of you. You are the low man here, Gwen. You do not outrank anyone. The attitude you give me would be enough to have you fired from most places but I admit a lot of this is my fault. I have given you far too much leeway. This is your final warning. Stuff the attitude and the opinion you know more than anyone else. Stop thinking you are better than anyone else because I can promise you that you aren't. As far as experience and technical knowledge, you are far below Tosh and Ianto. A far as medical knowledge, you are far below Owen, Tosh and Ianto. As far as general knowledge about who we are and what we do? You know nothing." He sat back and narrowed his eyes. "So, with all that covered was there anything else you wanted to discuss, Gwen?"

"I don't understand!" She widened her eyes, tears forming. "I thought I was special! You told me you needed my heart and my humanity to remind you want you were fighting for! You talked to me, we had moments that meant so much to me! I can give you so much more than he can, I can give you...!"

"Stop!" Jack leapt to his feet and leaned over the desk. "I don't want to be cruel but you leave me no choice. Listen, and listen well. I. Do. Not. Want. Anything. You. Have. To. Give. Gwen. Cooper. Do you get that? Do you hear me? There is nothing you have that I want. So change your attitude little girl and start behaving as an employee rather than a scorned lover. You are not, will not, or shall ever be my lover. At this point, I'm not even sure if I can trust you enough to consider you a friend. Now if this is done, and believe me on my part it is _very_ done, get out of here and get back to work."

Tears now running freely down her face and stunned by the finality of his rejection, Gwen hurried from Jack's office and practically ran through the main section of the Hub, away from prying eyes, and hid herself in one of the toilets located in the shower room. Choosing to sit on the floor with her back against the cold tile, Gwen let herself hear Jack's words all over again, ignoring the trails of water that ran down her face to drip onto her chest.

* * *

_**Ianto and Owen**__** - five days after**_

Owen was ready to leave. After the whole thing with Mary and then being forced to accept the knowledge that Jack was not going to let him forget that he had been trapped naked in a cell - again - he had enough of it all and wanted nothing more than to find a drink and someone to shag. His face still hurt from the punch Ianto had given him when he had said...well, what he said had been a bit undeserved. Still didn't give the Tea Boy the right to sucker punch him. He hit the button to open the door to the TIC, walking through and not bothering to acknowledge Ianto standing behind the counter. Well, he didn't acknowledge him until he tried to open the door to go out and it wouldn't budge. He bit back on the comment he wanted to make and reached for the lock instead but even as he went to turn it he heard Ianto clear his throat. "I wouldn't bother. I have it locked with the switch and it won't open until I release it. Before you go, I think we need to have a discussion on just who you think you are and why you seem to feel you can treat people as if they're less than you." Ianto was leaning on the counter with a grim smile on his face when Owen turned round. "You're a twat, and most of the time I can ignore that. But sometimes, you push just a bit too far. I get that you lost someone you love and it has an effect on you. I get that part of your attitude is trying to keep people at arm's length so you don't get hurt again. But what I don't get and am bloody sick of is the fact that you enjoy being a complete wanker to the people that are willing to accept your faults."

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Owen sneered, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "You're the fucking Tea Boy!"

Ianto laughed. "And that, Owen, is where you are mistaken. I make coffee for the team because I want to make coffee for the team. Which, as of this moment, is something you will no longer be enjoying. Nor will I be doing your paperwork, cleaning up your autopsy bay - which as the medical director is actually _your_ job - and I will not be restocking your kit. I'm sick of you thinking any of that is part of my job because it isn't. The extras I do are to help you out and with your behavior and lack of appreciation I have decided I will not be doing it anymore. Oddly enough, I will still be doing some things to assist Gwen because most of the time I don't have the desire to shove my fist down her throat. My job is taking care of the TIC. My job is sorting and categorizing the archives. My job is to assist Captain Harkness as his P.A. and before you make some sort of crude remark about how I assist him let me just tell you that yes, I do all manner of sexual things with him and none of them are a part of my job. I happen to enjoy his company and his body is amazing. The things he can do with his hands, his mouth and his cock are something I could never explain. So, yep, we shag, we fuck, we make love, we do whatever you want to call it but that is none of your business. In fact, the woman you are currently fucking would so much rather be in bed with him so what does that say about you? I know I'm not second choice, Owen. Can you say the same?"

"Come out from behind that counter and see how fucking tough you are then," Owen snarled, shrugged off his jacket and motioning Ianto forward.

"Nope. You're not messing up my office. However, if you think you're ready to try to actually better me for once, let's go down to the shooting range and have a go on the training mats." Ianto was still smiling and looked completely relaxed.

"You know if we go down there Harkness is going to stop us!"

"Actually, Harkness won't," came Jack's voice from the open doorway that led down to the Hub. "Fair fight, Owen. Ready to put your body where your mouth is?" He leaned on the door frame and crossed his arms. "Once this is done, it's done. You keep your mouth shut and treat people the way they should be treated and I'll try to talk Ianto into giving you coffee again."

Owen stood there for a moment before grabbing his jacket and striding angrily toward Jack, shouldering him out of the way and heading for the lift. Ianto's smile got wider and he straightened, walking out from behind the counter and over to Jack. "I know I should have just let it go and simply done the things I said I was going to do, or not do. I'm sick of it Jack, one minute he's decent or at least tolerable and the next he saying and doing things that set my teeth on edge. Do you know today he purposely left several samples of some vile thing out and when I said I wasn't responsible for those he carried them to the kitchen and dumped them all over the floor so that I had no choice but to clean them? And that's just one instance. I'm tired of it; if he won't respect me for the work I do then he will learn to respect me because if he doesn't he knows I'll beat his arse."

"Just not too badly, we do need a medic." Jack slung his arm over Ianto's shoulders and guided him through the door to go down to the Hub. "I don't like this. I don't want to see either of you get hurt. He's quick, and he's sneaky. I trained him remember."

"Yep, and you trained me. Sort of." Ianto leaned into Jack as they waited for the lift. "But most of what I learned I learned growing up and that was sometimes literally a matter of life or death. It isn't that I want...well, I do want to. I just want him to stop treating Tosh the way he does. I can put up with him, but I'm sick of seeing him hurt her."

"Then, Mister Jones, it is time for you to teach Owen a little lesson in humility."

-TW-

When Ianto had first brought up the idea, Jack had not been too happy about it. Having trained both men, he know that while Owen was a wiry, quick fighter he was smaller and lighter than Ianto and Ianto was just as quick and a good deal stronger. He also had some very unorthodox moves that had put Jack on the ground a few times. Also, having taken a punch from Ianto, Jack was well aware of just how hard he could hit. He didn't think Owen stood much of a chance but at the same time he knew Ianto wasn't going to try to seriously harm the medic, he was just sick of the constant baiting and general nastiness that was spewed his way daily. Jack had warned Owen, several times in fact, that one day Ianto was going to get tired of it and he was going to find out the hard way that the man he considered nothing more than a glorified butler was quite able to take care of himself. Now, after telling the girls to go home and making sure the CCTV for the gun range was turned off (except for the computer in his office that was recording everything), he stood waiting for Ianto to return from changing his clothes. Since they had a minute, he decided to go over the end result of the day with Owen.

"Once this is over, as I said before, it is done. You will address Ianto and Tosh with respect. If I hear the name Tea Boy out of your mouth you and I will be going a few rounds. Do you have any idea just how your behavior makes them feel?"

Owen snorted and continued taking light punches at the bag, warming his muscles. "Do you really think I care?"

"Nope, and that's why I'm allowing this to happen. Now I've turned off the CCTV so there will be nothing for anyone that is not in this room to see. However, any injuries that either of you sustain will not be glossed over as Weevil hunting, and I will step in before it gets out of hand. If I call stop, you stop. Understand?"

"Whatever." Owen stepped away from the heavy bag and huffed a long breath. "So where is he?"

"Right here." Ianto walked into the gun range wearing a pair of jeans, trainers and sleeveless white vest. Jack had to bite back a smile when he saw Owen's eyes widen - apparently he had never noticed just how toned Ianto was. Moving to the center of the mats, Ianto stood with his arms hanging at his sides looking thoroughly relaxed. "Well?"

Owen charged him.

Ianto shifted to the side but left his leg extended.

Owen tripped and went flat on his face.

Jack winced. Fighting angry wasn't the way to go about this but he knew trying to explain that to Owen wouldn't do a bit of good.

Owen got up and approached with more care, swinging hard when he got into range. To give him credit, he did manage to connect twice with jabs to Ianto's ribs but Ianto then connected with a solid punch to his jaw.

Owen dropped like a rock.

Jack shook his head. Apparently this was something that he had somehow missed during training. Owen, he of the vicious mouth and the vile tongue...

Had a glass jaw.

Ianto stood there in disbelief.

Jack sighed. Somehow, he knew this was not going to be over.

* * *

_**Ianto and Myfanwy**__** - five days after**_

Owen had been slightly less than coherent so Jack had decided to take him home. After putting on a hoodie, Ianto had returned to the main part of the Hub and was sitting at Tosh's desk checking the rift program when something landed on the floor near Gwen's workstation. He looked over and grinned. "Really? I have to clean that up you know." He got up and went to make sure it was what he thought, It was indeed - apparently when she had been out one night she had found a filthy strand of rope that was soaked with what he didn't want to know and stank more than a bit. Glancing up, he shook his head. "You really should stop. One day you're going to hurt someone and then I'm going to have to act as if I'm scolding you. Unless it's Tosh of course in which case I am going to be quite angry with you." Ianto want to the cupboard where he kept the cleaning supplies to get a bin liner and some gloves. Materials for clean-up in hand, he returned to find the Pteranodon had flown down and landed next to the water tower and was watching him with what he swore was amusement. After cleaning up her "gift", he tied the bag shut and set it near the door to dispose of when he left.

"Now I suppose you want chocolate?" He walked toward her, laughing when she extended her beak and made chattering noises. "I don't have any." He caught hold of her beak and ran his hands up either side until he could reach to scratch her neck, his fingers moving in long sweeps up and down both sides. "So, for the second time I got to give Owen a good punch," he told her, "and found out that he can't take a good hit to the jaw," Myfanwy lifted her head and let her beak rest on Ianto's shoulder. "I know Jack didn't like the idea but I'm sick of being treated like I don't matter." Myfanwy shuffled closer, tipping her head down to lower her beak against Ianto's back and force him to move forward, bringing him closer to her. "I don't mean Jack, or Tosh. Or you." He kept one hand resting on her neck, the other sliding down to scratch next to her wing joint. "Lisa made me feel like I was good enough to deserve to be happy. I know Tosh is one of the best friends I will ever have. And Jack..." He sighed. "I'm so afraid of losing myself in him. I know he can't die, well not permanently anyway, and I know that has to be hard for him. I know he cares about me but I am so close to loving..." He sighed again. "Who am I kidding? I'm already in love with him. I shouldn't be; it's far too soon after Lisa but I am. Me, this boring, anal kid from nowhere. And he is so Jack. He's like a beacon, he radiates light and life and why world I ever think he could be serious about me? With his life, how can he be serious about anyone?"

Myfanwy stretched her wings and Ianto, thinking she was ready to fly, tried to back away but she hadn't moved her head and he was trapped in place. "Please don't try to take off with me right here. It isn't that I think you would ever hurt me but I can promise if I'm this close I will at least get knocked down and most likely stepped on." He laughed when she let out an indignant squawk. "I know, it would be an accident." Ianto was overwhelmed by a sudden rush of tears and he pressed his face to the thick, leathery hide and took deep breaths to try to control his emotions. "I'm scared, girl," he whispered. "I'm scared of waking up one day and finding out that Jack's moved on. I'm scared of coming in here one morning and finding someone else in his bed. I haven't even found the courage to actually make love with him yet. But will it be making love? Is it something with that much meaning or is it just a shag? Does he look at me the way Owen looks at Gwen, or Gwen looks at Owen? As nothing more than an outlet for release? I feel so horrible for Tosh; I thought she had finally found someone who loved her, who would give her what she wanted and needed and instead she ended up hurt and alone. I believe Mary had feelings for her but she was so wrapped up in the idea of going home, and then there was the whole pluck out the heart and eat it thing." He smiled when Myfanwy chittered. "You think so too? I am glad that, if nothing else, this whole thing has shown her what an insensitive prat Owen is. I understand how much he loved Katie. I understand he's afraid of getting close again. What I can't understand is his need to belittle the ones that care about him. I think the only reason he doesn't do it to Jack is that he knows Jack would only take so much. I hope now he understands I'm done taking his shit."

Ianto wrapped his arms round Myfanwy's neck. "I'm really trying not to intrude on everyone and keep from reading their emotions but sometimes it's so hard. Gwen projects like mad and she dislikes me. I don't think it's hate, but she thinks I'm nothing. Owen, well, we both know what Owen thinks of me. Jack I can't read. Well, I can read the surface emotions but not the deeper ones and those are the ones that scare me the most." He grunted when Myfanwy moved her head up and down, each downward motion pushing him closer to her. "You're going to squish me," he laughed. He let her go and ducked to the side, grinning when she let out an unhappy chirp. "I have to get back to work. Jack will be here soon and I guess I'm going to ask him if he wants to come back to mine. He's done so much for me and I wish I was sure if it was because he wanted to or was a great deal of it guilt. I love him, but..." Ianto walked to his desk and got a chocolate bar. "I know, I lied," he told her as Myfanwy flapped her wings and chittered madly. "Here." He unwrapped it and brought it back to her, breaking it into three pieces and feeding her two before backing away to allow her room to launch. She crouched and leapt, wings beating madly until she was airborne and then making a grand circle of the Hub before diving just as Ianto threw the remaining section of chocolate into the air. She snapped it up without slowing and only then did she make for her home, Ianto watching as she disappeared, hearing the faint rustling that indicated she was settling in her nest. With nothing else to distract him, Ianto got another bin liner and began his nightly cleaning, trying not to think of his feelings for the enigmatic immortal man who held his heart.

In the shadows, having arrived back in time to hear a great deal of Ianto's conversation with the Pteranodon, Jack realized that he was going to have to come clean about his own feelings before Ianto's doubts hurt him any more than they already had.

* * *

_**Tosh and Jack**__** - six days after**_

Jack was tired and disgusted with the local Weevil population. He had meant to join Ianto at his home after a minor alert which had occurred right as they were leaving the Hub but then it was one Weevil after another, none of which really did anything except make him chase it back into the sewers. At one point he would have sworn it was the same Weevil playing games but he didn't think they were that intelligent. He had thought about calling Ianto and having him come to the Hub but after the conversation he had overheard between he and their "guard dog", Jack didn't want to make any kind of demand for his comfort until they had a chance to talk. He knew he was getting in far too deep with his feelings but he couldn't seem to control it and while it scared the hell out of him he wasn't sure he wanted it any other way. It did put a damper on the whole waiting for the Doctor thing, but that was...

The sounding of the alarms that signalled the opening of the cog door brought him to his feet, his hand immediately reaching for his Webley even as he hit the sequence of keys on his computer to bring up the CCTV monitors in the main Hub. "Tosh?" he wondered aloud, stepping out from behind his desk and moving to the door. He arrived there just in time to see her drop her bag on her desk and sit down with a heavy sigh. "I know I'm fascinating company but I can't imagine it would be enough to bring you here at three in the morning."

She jumped when he first spoke and turned to look up at him. "I figured you would be at Ianto's."

"I tried. Weevils had other ideas." Jack stepped over to lean his hip against the railing and cocked an eye at her. "And what's your excuse?"

"Couldn't sleep." She looked as if she was debated saying something else and Jack remained quiet, giving her the chance to collect her thoughts. If he pushed her she might close herself off and he had a feeling this was important. Finally, after what seemed to be a very difficult internal struggle, she sighed and looked up at him. "Jack, what's wrong with me?"

"Not a thing," he said immediately.

Tosh snorted and picked up her glasses, examining them closely. "Sometime I feel like I'm made of glass. Everyone just sees through me. There's nothing there to make them stop and look."

"Right, you and I, the couch. I'll make tea."

Tosh giggled softly. "Got anything stronger?"

Jack flashed her one of those grins that seemed to light up the room. "Oh, I do indeed, Miss Sato. So let us change that to you, me, the couch and a lovely bottle of Scotch that is older than you and Ianto combined." He vanished back into his office and she got up to go wait for him on the battered couch that had been there when she joined and she often wondered just how long it had been sitting there. Dropping down on the middle of the left cushion, she pushed off her shoes and curled her feet under her, laughing when Jack came bounding out of his office and down the steps carrying a bottle and two tumblers in one hand and a blanket over his other arm. "It's a bit chilly in here at night so I thought you might need this." He held out his arm as he sat down, allowing her to take the blanket and spread it over her legs. He set the glasses on the table, waved the bottle at her before opening it and pouring two generous measures. Bottle closed and he placed it within easy reach, only then picking up both glasses and handing her one. "Now, we're comfortable with good drink in hand so out with it. Why would you think that?"

Tosh shrugged, taking a sip and making an approving noise before beginning to try to explain. "In part it's Owen. All the time I've been here, all the time he's been near me, and out of the two women who have worked with us he's slept with both and done nothing but belittle me. Once in a while he says something nice but I'm so used to being degraded and verbally abused by him when he does I just look at it as a different way of him taking the piss." She smiled when Jack shifter closer and put his arm round her, letting her tuck in close to his side. "There here comes Mary, and I think I finally might have met someone who wants me for me and even after finding out that she knew who I was, what Torchwood is, she still made me feel..." She broke off with a giggle. "No details!" She tilted her head to rest it against Jack. "I know Tommy really likes me for me but where is there any chance for that when it's one day a year? Sometimes I feel like standing naked in the middle of the Plas and seeing if anyone would actually notice."

"I would!" Jack said, giving her a leer. His face sobered then and he tightened his arm. "Toshiko Sato, I noticed you. There was no glass there, just a strong, amazing woman who risked everything for love. You and Ianto have a great deal in common. He stays in the background and does what needs to be done without looking for praise or accolades." Jack leaned forward just enough to set his tumbler of scotch on the table. "When I look at my team, I see two very distinct hands. On one hand we have Owen and Gwen. Both are loud, pushy, on occasion rude, demanding and have no difficulty challenging me. The other hand has you and Ianto. Determined, strong, quiet but that doesn't mean you don't challenge me. You just do it differently. The two hands together work well, or at least they should even if I sometimes feel like smacking the one hand with a ruler. I couldn't do this without my quiet, brilliant, shy technical genius. I could have hired any number of brilliant techs but I wanted you. I wanted that fierce loyalty and determination and damn the world attitude. I wanted that strong, frightened but pushing though it for love woman who defied anyone and everyone she needed to and fixed the plans that so many had tried to figure out before. I wanted you. And I know, it isn't the same, I know that somewhere out there is a brilliant, amazing person who will see you just as I do. And then, Toshiko Sato, you will be loved and worshiped as you deserve. Just like Ianto does me."

Tosh rolled her eyes. "I don't know if he actually worships you..." She took a deep breath and decided that since it was just them and he was being open with her she might as well ask. "I know you had feelings for him even when Lisa, or what was Lisa, was here. I know you fell in lust with him when you first saw him." Jack made a non-committal noise and she laughed. "I promise I'll wipe the CCTV without keeping a copy. He's my best friend, Jack. He doesn't judge me, he doesn't judge anyone. The only one that seems to really get to him is Gwen and I if she stopped trying to get to you he wouldn't have near as much of a problems with her. She would still annoy him but he'd ignore it more."

"Well, I think he's finally convinced Owen to leave him alone. Unfortunately he can't take the same approach with Gwen."

"Does this convincing have anything to do with the fact that you sent Gwen and me home early today? Well, yesterday actually."

Jack made a zipping his lips motion. "I am sworn to secrecy."

"You're going to be swearing in pain," Tosh threatened.

Jack grinned. "You'll wipe the CCTV?" When she nodded, he practically bounced. "Come on, my office, I saved everything!" When Tosh sat up to reach for her shoes he shook his head. "Nope, that's not necessary!" Instead he jumped to his feet and swept her - blanket and all - into his arms, ignoring her laughing shriek of his name and carrying her up the steps to his office to deposit her in his chair. "Not a word about this, I promised I would show no one! Actually, I lied and said the cameras were off." He opened a file and started the playback of a video titled _TIC_I&O_. He stood back with his arms folded over his chest and watched both her and the screen, seeing the astonishment on her face when Ianto challenged Owen, seeing the mixture of anger and disbelief as they argued, and finally seeing the threat of tears when Ianto once more stood up for her. As soon as it ended with Ianto leaving the TIC, Jack reached over and closed that window before starting the second video in the file which was marked _SR_I&O_. Again he stood back, but this time he watched just her and when the two men started to spar he saw her wince. When Owen hit Ianto he saw her fist clench and her eyes narrow.

But...

When Ianto hit Owen in the jaw and he dropped like a puppet with no strings her hand flew up to her mouth and despite her attempt to contain it her heard her start to laugh. She quickly got herself under control and listened as the rest played out, the video ending with Ianto leaving ahead of Jack with an unconscious Owen slung over his shoulder. She stopped it this time and tipped her head up to look at him. "Wow." He nodded. "Owen has a glass jaw." He nodded again, this time more vigorously. "The man with the biggest mouth I have ever met, the man who has raised being a complete twat with words to a whole new level...has a glass jaw." Jack was nodding so hard his hair was flopping. "Ianto looked very disappointed." More nodding. "You know if you ever hurt him I'm going to take those heels and use them to maim you, right?" The nodding this time wasn't as intense and he looked slightly concerned. "Jack, do you love him?"

The nodding stopped and Jack reached past her to turn off his monitor. "As much as I don't want to I think I do. Not because he doesn't deserve it, but because he deserves so much more. I have so little to offer him. There is no normalcy to our lives. Gwen has that chance with Rhys because he isn't involved in what we do but for Ianto I have to make choices to send him into situations that I know are dangerous. It's very possible that I will have to send him into the situation that kills him. And it's going to break my heart when it happens, and I try not to let myself get too close so it lessens the blow. Only this time, I think I already let him too close and it's going to destroy me."

Tosh stood, letting the blanket fall to the floor and took Jack in her arms, feeling him hold her as well.

* * *

_**Tosh and Ianto**__** - seven days after**_

Ianto glanced up from the files he was reading when the door to the TIC opened and Tosh came inside. "Morning," he said with a smile.

"Good morning!" She set a small, white paper bag in front of him, the smell coming off it enough to make his mouth water.

"What's this?"

"Just something I wanted to bring for you." She stood on her toes to lean across the counter and kiss his cheek. "Enjoy it!" she sang, hitting the button to open the door and sashaying off without another word.

Frowning in confusion, Ianto opened the bag and groaned aloud. "I know you're watching me and don't think for a moment that I am going to..."

Jack burst through the beaded curtain. "What did she bring us?"

"I'm going to lock that door to the steps," Ianto threatened, moving the bag out of Jack's reach. "And she didn't bring it for us. She brought it for me."

There was the pout. "But you can share!"

Ianto rolled his eyes and carefully removed the still warm apple and cinnamon cake from the bag. "You have no shame," he said with a smile. He broke a piece off and despite Jack's pout getting bigger over the fact it was less than half he gave him the smaller piece. "I'm going to go make coffee." He hit the button that locked the outer door and then the one to open the hidden panel, taking his cake with him as he headed down to the Hub with a nosily chewing Jack on his heels.

-TW-

Later that day found Tosh and Ianto alone in the Hub, the other three out trying to catch a young Weevil who seemed to have become fascinated with a certain fish and chip shop. The creature would leave when chased but at the first opportunity would sneak back and Jack had decided the only choice they had was to capture it and bring it back to the Hub. If they couldn't figure out a way to confuse it so it lost the shop they might end up with no choice but to kill it as eventually someone was going to get hurt. While Jack hated killing any of the beings that the Rift was responsible fore he knew he had the greater good of the people to concern himself with. Still, he knew if it came to that he would hate it, Owen would be unhappy and Gwen would be livid. He had planned on taking just Ianto with him at first, making the choice to give it one more chance after being chased but Ianto had asked to be given a chance to talk to Tosh alone. Knowing why, jack had agreed and the resulting grateful kiss made him glad he had made the right choice.

Didn't stop him from trying to get another kiss or three before he left though.

Ianto watched Tosh for a moment before picking up the tray containing a pot of green tea, a bowl of honey, a bowl of lemon and a plate of cream filled biscuits that he knew Tosh loved. He went to the couch and set the tray down before going and taking Tosh's arm to drag her gently away from her station to join him. After she was sitting with a cup of tea and a biscuit, he tilted his head and looked at her. "What happened?"

She giggled. "Nothing!"

Ianto sighed. "He showed you, didn't he?"

She tried to look innocent. "Who showed me what?"

"He did. He's in so much trouble." Ianto picked up his cup and took a sip. "I'm not apologizing for any of it. It was sort of anti-climatic when all it took was one punch and he was on the floor." He snickered when Tosh started laughing. "Jack and I had talked before I confronted him and he had a long list of things that meant it ended. How much blood, how many knock downs, how many screams of pain, how many bones sticking out..."

Tosh was laughing so hard she had fallen over against him. "Stop! You are so bad!" Finally gaining control she sat up and used the back of the hand that was still clutching her biscuit to blot her cheeks. "I just wanted to thank you. You see me. You don't look through me, or around me, you look at me. That's something I treasure, and I want you to know how grateful I am for that."

"You do the same for me. Even before the whole Lisa incident, or the not-Lisa incident, you saw me. Jack is amazing, don't get me wrong, but he sometimes sees the surface without looking deeper. I think he's seen so much in his life that sometimes he's afraid to do further than that. It's one of the reasons why I'm so afraid of how much I feel for him." Ianto suddenly winced. "Please tell me you are not wearing an open comm and will wipe this so no one sees it."

"No comm and consider it wiped." Tosh eyed him. "He's scared too. He's afraid of making the decision that gets you hurt, or killed. He's afraid for all of us but he is as deeply involved with this as you are. Haven't either one of you told each other this?"

"Nope. We're men. Stupid, anal-retentive men. Emotions? Feelings?" Ianto snorted. "Please, it makes our testosterone cringe even to mention it."

"Well, you two need to talk. I think you both are being far too concerned with what the other feels and aren't seeing that you both are in the exact same position. So, after they get back, I am ordering you to take our fearless leader and his coat and his teeth and his incredibly wonderful smelling self off to your place, open a bottle of wine, have a good talk and then take full advantage of that wonderfully soft, huge bed that Rhiannon and I picked out for you. You do know we got that design because Jack is always going on about tying you to bedposts and such."

Ianto hid his face in his hands. "_Toshiko_! You had that conversation with my _sister_?"

"Yep." She patted his knee. "I have work to do."

He put his hands down and pulled her into a hug before she could leave. "Thank you. I am so grateful that I have you as a friend. My best friend."

"Me too," she whispered, squeezing him a little tighter. "Me too."

* * *

_**Jack and Ianto**__** - seven days after**_

After Ianto handed Jack his glass of wine he took a seat beside him on the couch, leaving a small space between them. Jack noticed and began to worry this was going to be one of those I care for you but speeches - although if it was an it was because of his immortality or another aspect of his long, strange life at least this time he would get the chance to say goodbye. He was so busy trying to think of thing to say to make it seem as if he was unaffected by the outcome of all of this that he failed to notice Ianto watching him with a smile curling his lips. It was only when Ianto lightly smacked his leg that he jumped and turned his attention to the other man. "Huh?"

"We need to talk." Ianto saw the hint of pain in Jack's eyes and leaned toward him to kiss his cheek. "Not that kind of talk. Or at least I hope it won't be that kind of talk." He sat back and stared into his glass, watching the light reflect off the rich red of the wine. It was only a few moments of silence but each one became heavier with the unspoken words. Knowing one of them had to start, Ianto took a deep breath and opened his mouth.

"I'm not in love with you."

Well that stilled the words that were about to fall off his tongue. "Wow. Wasn't expecting that," Ianto said quietly, his body tensing and instinctively leaning away from Jack.

"Wait. That wasn't how I meant to say it."

"Just...it's fine. Talk over." Ianto got up. "I think I'm going to go take a bath and have an early night. Sorry I dragged you over here for nothing. I'll see you at work in the morning." He was gone while Jack's head was still trying to get the right words in the right order and by the time he did Ianto was gone and when he hurried after him he found the bedroom door locked.

"Shit!" Jack leaned against the door. "Ianto?" He knocked a few times and waited to see if he heard movement. When he didn't, he went back to the lounge long enough to set his glass on the table and then hurried back to the bedroom door, arguing with himself for a minute or two about the morality of what he was about to do but the fear of completely messing things up was enough to make his use his wrist strap to unlock the door. Pushing it open, he found the bedroom empty but the door to the en suite was closed and running water could be heard from the other side. Jack walked to the door and put his hand on the knob, debating with himself again before trying to turn it, guessing correctly that it would be locked as well. He tapped on the door, resting his forehead against it when there was no answer. "Ianto, please, call it a momentary panic."

"I can't do this right now," Ianto said, his voice thick and Jack winced, cursing himself for upsetting him because of his lack of care. "We'll talk another time if you want, I just..." The water was turned off and he heard a slight splash. "It's been such an emotional few days and I just think maybe I pushed this too fast. If you don't feel..."

"No! Stop there!" Jack turned his back and leaned against the door, sliding down to sit on the floor. He understood Ianto's reluctance after the harsh way he had blurted out what Ianto believed was his lack of feelings but he also know that the misunderstandings they had in the past would come back to him and he wanted to get this fixed before any more damage was done. "Listen to me, please. You terrify me. For the first moment I saw you in the park you had my attention. I wanted you, but there was more than that. And that, Mister Jones, scares me to death. Then the whole..." Jack sighed. "Everything I said and did when the cyber...Lisa...got loose, the way I hurt you out of my own hurt and feelings of betrayal almost caused your death. Finding you and you were so ill and so close to the sickness and the exhaustion and the fear taking your life and knowing that was my fault. I know others had blame in it but it was the threats and the way I didn't give a thought for what you were going through and had gone through that sent you into hiding."

"It wasn't just you. I have to take the blame for not being honest and for hiding her," Ianto said, his words mixing with the sounds of movement in the water. "I hid because I thought you didn't want me anymore. I thought I had lost you as well as her and I couldn't face that."

"You'll have to try much harder than that to get rid of me, Ianto." Jack scrubbed a hand over his face and decided to just say it. "I care about you a great deal. Loving someone for me is hard because they die and I don't. I've had people grow to hate me because they were getting older and I wasn't. They left me for that. They left me for something I can't change. And so I began to leave them. You know I left Estelle; I let her believe that when I went MIA that I had died and I show up years later as my own son. And while she may suspect, or even know, I never want to find out because then I will have to face the fact that I left someone who actually might have loved me enough to understand. I know you understand, and there is a part of me that hopes you wont ever grow to resent me and that I can spend the rest of your life with you but I'm still afraid. And when the time comes where you leave me?" Jack choked out the last several words, his throat tight with the idea of Ianto's inevitable death. "It's going to destroy me, Ianto. And I know with every moment that we spend together I fall a little bit further and little bit deeper and it terrifies me. I may never be able to say the words but that doesn't mean my feelings for you are..." Jack drew his leg up and banged his head on his knee. "Please don't think I don't want you in my life, in my bed, in my..." He tipped his head back so hard he banged it on the door. "Ow."

"Careful, the door is most likely much softer than that head of yours."

"Ha ha." Jack sighed. "I don't want to love you for all the right reasons. I'm just not sure I can stop falling in love with you for the right reasons." The door suddenly opened behind him and he fell backwards with a yelp, cracking his head on the tiles. "And ow again but hellooooooooo Mister Jones."

Ianto, standing there in just a towel, rolled his eyes. "Get up, Jack." He waited until Jack had scrambled to his feet and moved out of the doorway before walking past him and going to the dresser to pull out clothes. "I've never been interested in a man before. I'm still getting used to that. I almost cheated on Lisa with you because my feelings for you were so strong. I know we didn't do anything then but I wanted to. I wanted you so badly that sometimes it was all I could do not to jump on you. And then the emotional side of it was only making it worse. I know my Lisa died at Canary Wharf. I know I was used and manipulated by the cyber components. But sometimes I feel like I'm such a bastard for wanting to be with you so badly when I still should be grieving." He laid an undershirt and boxers on the bed, crossing the room to the wardrobe and opening it to collect jeans and a jumper. "It's no easier for me than for you even if the reasons are different. You're immortal, which means even if Torchwood doesn't kill me you'll stay young and gorgeous while I get grey hair and wrinkles. How long will you want to be with me then? How long until someone younger and more attractive catches your eye? You..."

Jack had him by then, held tight in his arms with their foreheads pressed together. "You listen to me. I want you. I want the man you are inside just as much as outside. Estelle is still beautiful to me, Ianto. I'm not going to walk away from you because of a line on your face or grey in your hair. I want to spend whatever time I can with you. Listen, I promise not to grieve for you before you're gone and you promise not to worry that I plan on going before you do. Can we agree on that?"

Ianto stared into his eyes, seeing nothing there but honesty and a deeper emotion neither of them was ready to admit to the other. "I promise," he whispered. Jack kissed him then, a deep, sweet kiss full of emotion mixed with the lust. Finally breaking apart for air, he smiled at Jack. "Now let me get dressed and while I do that how about you go see what I have in the kitchen you can heat up."

Jack stuck out his lip and pouted. "You only want me for my culinary skills."

Ianto burst out laughing. "Right, sure I do." He pulled away and picked up his underclothes from the bed.

"Are you insulting my cooking?"

"Nope, just being realistic." Ianto started for the bathroom. "Besides, I'm not sure beans on toast counts as actual cooking." He tried to duck away when Jack grabbed for him but somehow he ended up naked when Jack snagged the towel. He almost made it into the en suite before Jack snapped his bare arse, his resulting yip making Jack laugh as he tossed the towel at the now closed door and went to call for Chinese.

* * *

_**Ianto and Owen**__** - eight days after**_

The sound of someone clearing their throat made Ianto glance toward the kitchen doorway to see who it was. "Owen," he said, keeping not only his voice but his expression neutral.

"I'd rather not do this here."

"Fine. We can go out and pick up lunch." Ianto touched the comm in his ear. "Jack, Owen and I are going out to pick up lunch. Fish and chips?" He was quiet, obviously listening. "Yes, I'm sure. Back soon." He turned to Owen. "Shall we?" Silently the two men left the Hub, remaining quiet on the lift and through the TIC until they were outside walking across the Plas. "So?"

"I'm a twat. I know you're aware of this. Maybe you're right about the reasons I am the way I am. I know I go too far sometimes, but if..." Owen stopped walking. "Look, can we sit?" At Ianto's nod he lead them to one of the many benches that ringed the Plas, dropping hard to the wooden seat with a sigh. "You know about Katie. And I know that losing Lisa the way you did isn't the same but it all comes down to aliens, right? I know Tosh has or had ideas about me and I know I've been a right bastard to her. She's not safe. To get close to her, to let myself feel for anyone, is just setting myself up for more pain. Susie, Gwen - they mean nothing. Shagging, that's all it is. If it stopped tomorrow with Gwen it wouldn't break my heart. Tosh would. Tosh sometimes reminds me so much of Katie because she cares. Jack thinks Gwen is the heart of this team he should look again. Gwen's a self-centered bitch who feels she's entitled to whatever she wants."

Ianto sat on the bench beside Owen. "I can't believe all this sudden enlightenment came from a single punch to the jaw."

"Look, can you just keep your fucking gob shut and let me finish? I'm not very good at this whole humility thing so enjoy it while it lasts." Owen leaned forward and clasped his hands together. "You had Jack. Even though Jack was there for me as a friend I couldn't get over the fact that he had known about the problem and let it get to the point that it killed her. Still can't sometimes. What we do is important, and sometimes when I get faced with it all I see her again, standing there so confused and lost and it makes me so bloody angry. And since the only outlet I can find for my anger are the people who are around me...well, who else is there? My mother wasn't much better than your father only her abuse was all verbal and emotional. She fucked me up, Katie gave me the belief that everything could actually be good in a relationship and let me trust in women for the first time. Then she was gone. I was going to marry her, have kids with her and she was just _gone_."

"Despite the violence of Lisa's death - both of them - I think I had it easier than you. Part of me knew she was gone from the moment those monsters strapped her into that machine but I couldn't admit it to myself. Part of her was still there but whatever humanity remained was lost when she was removed from the life support. The reason I was able to move on was because I had been mourning her for months. I know some people think that Jack and I were shagging before she died in the Hub but they're wrong. However much I was beginning to feel for him I could not bring myself to cheat on her when there was still a slim hope in my mind that she could be helped. What terrified me was if she had been I would have had no choice but to send her away without me if Jack would have let me stay. The feelings are no different if it's a man, Owen. It isn't just sex. You can laugh or belittle me, treat me like shit for whatever reason you have, and I really don't care. I will not go out of my way for you but your words mean nothing after the ones that have been spewed at me by the people who were supposed to love me. Been hearing how worthless I am, how no good I am, how they wished I was dead...really there isn't much you can say I haven't heard." Ianto leaned forward as well, resting his elbows on his thighs. "Do whatever you want, say whatever you want. To _me_. _Me_. It's the way you treat Tosh that I have issue with. I get your issues with women but she has been nothing but supportive of you. She makes excuses for your behavior. She covers your mistakes. She defends you." He gave a soft laugh. "Well, she did. I think you have finally made her realize you aren't worth her efforts. And don't puff up and get offended because you know I'm right."

"Yeah." Owen watched the people who were walking on the Plas for a few moments before sighing. "I'm not even sure why I disliked you as much as I did. Maybe because you came from One, maybe because I did think you shagged your way into a job. Or," he turned his head to look at Ianto, "maybe a part of me was jealous. Not because Jack wanted you but because it was clear Tosh liked you. Susie told me that you had all of us pegged from the time you walked through the door. And I think she was right. Might have been a bit of resentment for that as well."

"Rather stupid reasons then."

"Yep."

Ianto sat up and checked his watch. "I need to get lunch. I'm getting fish and chips, so if you want something different you're on your own."

"Nah, fish and chips sounds about right."

"So is this done?"

"Done."

"We're sorted?"

"Yep, sorted."

"Good, because I was about to the point where I was going to shoot you."

"You can shoot?"

"Yep." Ianto got up. "So you coming or what?"

"Might as well." Owen got to his feet and the two men set off, completely unaware of the CCTV camera that turned to follow their progress. "Ianto?"

"What?"

"Can I have coffee again? Starbucks is shit."

Ianto grinned. "Yep."

"Thanks."

"Owen?"

"What?"

"Don't be too nice or I'll have Jack probe you for alien influence."

"Christ, he'd probably fucking enjoy it the twat."

"Probably."

Still speaking of inane things, the two men headed for the shop to get lunch. Still watching from his office in the Hub Jack sat back in his chair, a pleased grin curling his lips. "Sorted," he said softly. With a little more hope that his team were moving closer to being the tight, cohesive unit he envisioned, Jack picked up his pen and got back to work. He reached over and hit a button on the keyboard to change the view on the screen. Not only wouldn't it do for Ianto to return and see he had accomplished nothing on the pile of forms but if he found out that Jack had been watching there could be all manner of retribution. The smile got bigger. He'd know, of course he'd know. If he didn't. Jack would 'slip' and mention it. After all, retribution could be fun.


End file.
